Route Development & Rumours

[Brum X]

For Virgin Atlantic? They don't fly to the EU their worry would be the US UK deal.
As for Ryanair, they'll have a plan and i wouldn't be surprised if it turns out to be Ryanair UK that's separate but the majority shareholder is Ryanair Ireland or something to that effect.
As for Easyjet going as a TUI type airline i'd be surprised if they ended up like that as a lot of Easyjets network is point 2 point cities and it's what they are good at.

Look on the brightside! It's better than nothing!

Fair Point Jez, still frustrating as hell though

 

[Jerry]

Fair Point Jez, still frustrating as hell though

Easyjet are a frustrating airline but if they want to rival TUI they are going to have to expand into the smaller airports and even operate seasonal bases. If you look at TUI they essentially have presence at nearly every airport in the country whether it's 10 aircraft like at Gatwick or a seasonal Sunwing at LBA and they are known as a holiday airline and company while Easyjet is known as a low cost airline though i've know doubt people do book hotels and stuff through them i'd say it was more their regulars that do that.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

easyJet is already a leisure player as a seat provider with a wide portfolio of holiday routes, its own easyJet Holidays initiative and as a carrier for tour companies such as TUI on some routes.

It also has a very large network of what are mainly business routes. Is the new CEO intent on giving these up and let in competitors to replace his airline in order to chase the likes of TUI and become a holiday airline?

New CEOs in any industry do like to make their mark but does that stretch to breaking up what has been a successful model for many years?

The current stratgy is this:

http://corporate.easyjet.com/about/strategy

As for LBA, as it's not an easyJet base, it could obviously only be served from other bases. GVA was very surprisingly discontinued. In terms of UK routes, the obvious ones that might work for LBA are London, Bristol and Scotland.

 

[rmac]

I would add Berlin, Copenhagen, Paris and Madrid as possible EasyJet routes out of LBA. They also wouldn't go wrong with a Palma or Alicante etc, Monarch did it, no reason why Easy shouldn't -if they have a mind for expansion in Yorkshire.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Leeds Bradford-Frankfurt is “Skyscanner Unserved Route of the Week”

Interesting article: http://www.anna.aero/2018/05/23/lee...served-route-of-the-week-with-22000-searches/

 

[Finger66]

Dont get these airlines shunning LBA. A thriving local economy that would easily support some European business routes, as long as any flights are timed effectively. Absolutely no use for example doing what SK tried on CPH. Got to be at business friendly times. Rumours of bmi regional problems at BRS so rule them out. Flybe seem to be consolidating so rule them out. This leaves relevant european carriets who dont seem interested. So I hope Mr Laws is fighting the case effectively. Its a no brainer from where I am stood but then like the rest I am biased!

 

[Bigman]

I would love to see Jet2 set up small regional operations using something like ER195's. These could operate existing routes such as Amsterdam and Paris CDG, but also other key business orientated routes. Smaller aircraft would be cheaper to operate and need less crew. They could then get rid of the remaining classics!!

 

[Jerry]

Dont get these airlines shunning LBA. A thriving local economy that would easily support some European business routes, as long as any flights are timed effectively.

Because in their minds they already cover Yorkshire from Manchester. Most of the major alliance European carrier's operate out there.

I would love to see Jet2 set up small regional operations using something like ER195's. These could operate existing routes such as Amsterdam and Paris CDG, but also other key business orientated routes. Smaller aircraft would be cheaper to operate and need less crew. They could then get rid of the remaining classics!!

They might as well buy Flybe, they'd have an established airline to work with rather than setup from scratch.

 

[paully]

I agree with Jerry..Most do regard Manchester as serving Yorkshire. So do the Train companies, that`s why they are introducing new, faster more comfortable rolling stock with increased frequency to Manchester Airport from Leeds and other stations within the LBA catchment area. Leeds airport is perceived, far and wide, as a bucket and spade place that is very quiet in winter with questionable weather and a technically difficult one at that. I wish Mr Laws well in his quest, I really do, but we will have to wait to see what the future holds.

 

[Bigman]

It’s not just Leeds though that suffers. You have trains running to Manchester Airport from Liverpool, Hull, Doncaster, Middlesbrough, Newcastle and even Glasgow and Edinburgh thanks to the way in which the Trans-Pennine franchise was set up. So you could argue that LBA, LPL, DSA, HUY, DTV, NCL, EDI and GLA are all losing out to MAN.

It amazes me that Manchester Airport to Glasgow comes under the Trans-Pennine franchise (ie, nowhere hear the Pennines), but ‘proper’ Trans-Pennine routes such as Leeds-Carlisle, Leeds-Lancaster, Newcastle-Carlisle don’t.

HS3 would only make it even worse. It’s a shame they can’t burrow HS2 under Leeds from Stourton to Otley in a big tunnel with a main interchange station at Leeds City, but with intermediate local stations at Hyde Park, Headingley, Horsforth, LBA and Otley before the line heads out past Harrogate and Ripon Northwards (local trains could work Castleford through to Harrogate in between the HS” expresses). Back to sleep now!!!

 

[Aviador]

Ah the public transport myth. Yes the Yorkshire region does have reasonably good connections to Manchester airport but the majority of Manchester airport users still arrive by car. The travel times from West Yorkshire to Manchester airport are still not hugely different from the travel times to LBA so that isn't the problem.

In the same way that Jet2 has demonstrated that Leeds Bradford Airport is a viable airport and departure point for the Yorkshire region, other airlines can too. Unfortunately for now, airlines such as Lufthansa don't seem to share the public desire to use local airports.

Leeds needs another airline with a can-do attitude towards LBA similar to Jet2. Preferably a new start-up carrier with the money and ambition to carry it through. An airline that is committed to serving business routes but has the right business model to enable some leisure passengers too.

 

[Silvercity]

We do need better public transport links across the North, I use LPL mostly , getting to MAN now with the traffic is very unpredictale . If I leave my office in North Liverpool for Manchester for an early evening flight ....I must give 2 hours because you just don' t know.

I' m not expecting Chris Grayling to come up with much anytime soon.

 

[jason1-11]

To put into perspective, Manchester handled 173.4K passengers on German flights compared to Leeds 3.9 K in March. With Dusseldorf down 53% and Berlin to go, you can see the mountain to climb trying to get and maintain services to our biggest trading partner.

 

[Bigman]

Personally, I would like to see Jet2 do a deal to take the remaining B737/600’s off SAS. These would be ideal aircraft to take over the city routes from the older 737/300’s. Although smaller at 120 seats, they would require less fuel and crew and would be a better fit for lighter used routes. It would make the load factors look better as well. This might also increase our chances of getting some other city routes that might not warrant a bigger 300.

 

[rmac]

Bigman comments, rightly, that Doncaster, Liverpool, etc etc all suffer from Manchester's dominance. No wonder, Manchester was there decades ago but also it is in the middle of the northern catchment area. Leeds would not expect Liverpool punters, nor the other way round , but Manchester is in the position to attract from both. And it will not change. Incidentally , from a Scottish perspective, it is my feeling that Scottish travellers do not use Manchester as much as years ago. It was common to hear people say "-we had to go from Manchester - how I hate Manchester." I remember when the Edinburgh Evening news lamented the news that the EDI -CDG service was finishing - and it did. Now look at it! Between GLA and EDI most of Scotlands flight needs are well covered, including the ability and fairly cheaply too to go via one of 4 London airports. The northern airports are in a different position and each airport must find its own niche in the market.

 

[lbaspotter]

The Welsh Government is exploring the possibility of approaching airlines to start operating PSO routes from Cardiff. Several destinations are included, with Leeds/Bradford very high up the list..

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/business/business-news/cardiff-airport-manchester-among-plans-14701570

Cardiff Airport to Manchester among plans for new UK city routes
Subsidised routes also being explored include those to Norwich and Inverness and Leeds

The Welsh Government is exploring a number of possible subsidised air routes from Cardiff Airport to cities across the UK.

The Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport,, Ken Skates has revealed that the Welsh Government is working with the European Commission and UK Government on a number of new aviation Public Service Obligations (PSOs) routes.

To read the full article see https://www.walesonline.co.uk/business/business-news/cardiff-airport-manchester-among-plans-14701570

 

[Silvercity]

The Welsh Government is exploring the possibility of approaching airlines to start operating PSO routes from Cardiff. Several destinations are included, with Leeds/Bradford very high up the list..

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/business/business-news/cardiff-airport-manchester-among-plans-14701570

I flew Manchester to Cardiff yeas ago, but I can't remember the carrier .

 

[lbaspotter]

I flew Manchester to Cardiff yeas ago, but I can't remember the carrier .

Most likely would have been Air Southwest or Air Wales.

 

[rmac]

I flew Bournemouth -= Cardiff = Manchester with Dan Air (HS 748 I think) Really wanted go to Leeds but no- MAN nearest. Early 70's -1973 I think- the oil crisis meant driving to Bournemouth and back had difficulties, hence the flight back after a one way drop off with Hertz in Bournemouth.

 

[Silvercity]

Most likely would have been Air Southwest or Air Wales.

I just can't recall, it didn't last long as a route...so never got used to it.